Live And Let Live
by Midnight-Alchemist
Summary: Summary: Edward and his brother continue on their journey when all of a sudden, Ed’s naturally good rep is being turned upside down. Who is this imposter and what does he want with Edward and the Philosopher’s Stone? Contains some BBI reference


Live And Let Live

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Series: Full Metal Alchemist

Special Episode warnings: Post ep. 25, with Bluebird's Illusion references

Summary: Edward and his brother continue on their journey when all of a sudden, Ed's naturally good rep is being turned upside down. Who is this imposter and what does he want with Edward and the Philosopher's Stone?

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"Brother, are you sure this is the right direction?" The armored soul, Alphonse Elric asked his older brother. They had boarded the nearest train, Ed being desperate to leave Central. Unfortunately, Edward being the blonde he was completely forgot to check exactly where the train was headed.

"Why should I care?" Edward replied cocking his head to one side and arching a brow. "The further we are away from Mustang the better. It's bad enough what was in Liore was a fake, but to find out what we did in Lab 5 is unbearable. I don't need to be hearing his witty sarcasm right now."

"So you're running away? And where to prêt ell?" The younger inquired with a soft sigh. Sometimes his brother was just way too unpredictable.

"I was thinking about heading back down towards the Eastern Division. I still got lodging there and it's closer to some of the other cities I've been wanting to look into." Came the Full Metal one's answer.

"Oh…so even though we found out the secret you're still looking into it…" the armored boy sighed again.

"Or course! I'm not just going to give up now! There has to be another way…" Ed snapped, as if the answer was plain obvious.

It wasn't long before the whistle blew and the train screeched to a halt at the station. Many soldiers as well as civilians piled out one by one "Guess that's us too," Edward murmured as Alphonse helped him reach up to the luggage compartment to grab his suitcase.

Once out and about both boys came across a small group of people. All of them were huddled together, pointing and shooting nasty glares at them. Each of them had a fearful look on their faces and all muttered amongst themselves as if what stood before them was the most gruesome thing they have ever laid eyes upon.

"Do you see that boy?" one woman asked the others in the group quietly.

"You mean the one in red?" inquired a young man.

"Yes!" the first woman hissed.

"Why, by Joe, could that be the Edward Elric boy? The young State Alchemist?" one old man queried in a crackling tone.

"Yes of course it is…" an elderly mother snarled. "He's the only one that small and wearing that hideous attire…that wretched symbol on his back… What audacity he has, returning to a place like this after one day…all the trouble he caused…"

A young teenaged girl piped in. "And he thinks that just by changing his coat he can disguise himself…He's a murderous little fool…the police will surely arrest him…"

"Especially after what he'd gone and done to my little Sabrina!" a father wailed quietly, mourning over the death of his child.

"Hush everyone!" hissed the first woman. "He's looking this way…." They all cast weary glances at Edward and Alphonse as they walked passed.

The Full Metal one cocked his head to one side and pondered. "Huh…I wonder what's going on?"

"Maybe Scar killed another person?" Al shrugged.

"But they're looking at us like –we're- the culprits…and we haven't been here in a long while…" Edward said, sort of amazed at how so many people could look at him so harshly. "Could it be a new rebel tactic against State Alchemists?"

Alphonse just shrugged again and said nothing.

"I think I'll go check this out…" Ed muttered as he dashed over to the crowd. "Hey! What's going on? Another murder? Can we be of some help? State Alchemist here ya know!"

"Stay back!" a young woman shrieked and took a few steps backward. "Yeah get away!" a couple others agreed.

At this point the two Elric brothers were really confused. "Huh?"

An empty whiskey bottle flew into the air and smashed at their feet. "Go on! Get!" a few men roared. "Go back home you wretched little vermin!"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLIN' SO SMALL A RAT COULD MISTAKE HIM FOR A PIECE OF CHEESE YOU BIG JERKS!" Edward billowed, furious at being called "little".

"Um Brother…they didn't say anything like that…Watch out…." Alphonse tried to calm him down and get him to stay back, but it was too late. By this point several of them held out their knives and other assorted weapons and because of his outburst they tried to gang up on him.

"Uh…Al?" Ed whispered to his brother as he backed away. "I think maybe we ought to run?"

"Good idea…" Al agreed.

"Let's go!" Edward grabbed the gauntlet of his brother and dragged him a few blocks down where they ducked into an alley. The young alchemist sighed and collapsed, panting and very out of breath because of all the running.

"Do you know what that was all about Brother?" Alphonse asked intently.

"No idea…" Ed replied and hung his head low. "No clue at all…."

Meanwhile…

In the outskirts of town, closer to the borders of Central, a mysterious young figure sat upon a barstool at a local pub. His medium length blond hair was pulled back in a braid allowing wild and unruly bangs to fall forward, shielding his golden eyes from most to view. Covering his body was a long black trench coat with a split up the back at the end. And plastered on his very back was a bright red symbol of the ouroboros The figure itself was rather small, and his black booted feet hung up off the ground by a few inches. In front of this person sat a large silver flask freshly filled with whiskey. After a moment, a black-latex gloved hand reached out and grasped it, then pulled it to his lips.

"Aahhhh…" he sighed softly after taking a sip. "That stuff's good…" He then set the flask down on the table once more and then looked up at the bartender who was staring at him intently. "Whaddya want?" he snapped, glowering up at the man.

"I was just wondering," the bartender mumbled while wiping a cleaned flask. "You seem to be a little young to be drinking stuff like that…"

"I'm just smaller than most, what's it to ya?" the mysterious young man quipped rather rudely. Though he tone was impatient, it was also very smooth and sultry. Icy cold yet at the same time hot as a flame. It was the type of voice that could make even the toughest man quiver when being spoken to.

"Oh I-uh-um…" the bartender stuttered a bit then sighed. "Never mind…" he lowered himself so he could rest against the counter and propped himself up on his elbows. "What brings a type like you out here? You don't seem like the vacationer kind…"

"How very observant…" the man replied with a smirk. "Actually I'm here on business…" he took another swift swig of his drink.

"Oh?" the bartender blinked. "Then why aren't you over at Central? The border's not too far from here you know."

The young man arched a brow at this. "Why is there anything of importance there?"

"Well, yeah!" the bartender replied. "Especially if you're a Military type."

"Military? Nah…. I'm more of the 'alchemical' type…" the young man sighed and glanced at his fingers, trying to make it look like he was carefree about the whole conversation, while he was actually paying close attention. He took another sip.

"Ah! So you wouldn't be by any chance…well no, of course you are! Look at what you're wearing… Of course you must be a State Alchemist…" the bartender nodded.

The young man grinned. "Why yes…I am indeed…" He even held out a silver pocket-watch. Though in truth, said watch wasn't actually his. He had stolen it off of some dead guy not too long ago. Though it had proven to be very useful so he decided to hold onto it.

The bartender stared at him in awe. "Well I'll be…. So you are one… Well in that case all drinks you have today are half price. We proudly support the State here." He told him.

"Thank you…How generous." the young man smirked as he took another sip, tossing and catching the silver watch a few times in his other hand. After placing the flask back down and putting the watch in his pocket he looked back up at the bartender and asked. "So…who's up at Central exactly?"

The bartender looked dumbstruck. How could a State Alchemist not know who was at Central command? "Well, you're a member of the State…you should know. There's the Colonel, Roy Mustang. He just got there not too long ago. And he is also a State Alchemist. Flame I think he's called. He serves the Fuhrer, surely you know the Fuhrer…"

"Yes I know him…" the mysterious man nodded.

"Alright then…and then there are the people who followed through with Mustang…Oh! And that little youngster he picked up for support a few years ago…"

"Youngster?" the young man inquired, very much interested now.

"He's a State Alchemist. Youngest they've had. They call him 'Full Metal'. Not sure of his real name though… All I know is, that he is one that is For the People. Sounds like a great kid…a real hero…." The bartender replied.

"You don't say," the young man murmured trying to suppress the grin that was spreading across his face. "Heh…" He lowered his head a soft cackling laugh erupted from him.

"Something wrong sir? Your whiskey go flat?" the bartender asked.

His head shot up like a rocket and he slammed the flask down on the table. A wide, wicked grin curled across his lips and his eyes shown brightly. "Ah!" the bartender gasped as the young man hopped up onto the countertop and crouched in front of him. "I'm fine…" he cocked his head to one side.

"Well uh.that's good." the bartender gulped. He then glanced back at the young man. "Well you said you're an alchemist right? Would you mind showing off some of your stuff for the other customers?" A few other men at the bar nodded and looked eager.

The young man's smile flashed into a frown as a hand snapped out and clasped tightly around the bartender's throat, choking him. He snarled. "Hah…you've given me all you could…Now you're just worthless…. that's what you get for being curious…"

"Who…who are you?" the bartender croaked between quickened breaths.

"Heh," the mysterious man grinned and tightened his grip a bit. "The name's Edward…Edward…Elric…. The Full Metal Alchemist…" With that he dug his fingers into the man's neck, snapping it, and then dropped him to the ground. He peered over the counter at the dead body that lay before him and his smile broadened. A bunch of onlookers gasped.

"As for my alchemy…." He chuckled. "I would perform it on your dead body but human transmutation is illegal!" A cackle exploded from him as he grabbed the flask and back flipped off the counter and back onto the ground. He tossed a few coins onto the barstool. "I believe this is enough. Thanks for the discount too. It's been real, and I'll definitely recommend this place…"

"That Edward Elric's no hero…he's a monster…" a woman sitting at a booth whispered fearfully to her friend. "Yeah who would've though…and I always thought he was so kind…" Her friend agreed.

"Heh," 'Ed' smirked as he turned on his heel and strolled out of the pub.

Once outside and down a few blocks and slowed his steps and held out the flask to examine it. "Not a bad little deal…" he murmured to himself. "I'll definitely keep this too. Could prove useful. " He then glanced up and out at the horizon. "But for now I think I'll head to Central…It'll be my best bet to complete my ultimate mission…and find the real Full Metal brat…"

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What do y'all think? Should I write more or not? ;


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